Tag: God (Page 1 of 3)

You Are Not Superior

March 14, 2025 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

When we read 1 Corinthians 12, we learn from the Apostle Paul that God, through the Holy Spirit, bestows gifts upon His people. Each and every gift He gives is to be used for “the common good” of the body of Christ (v. 7). Paul also makes it clear that before coming to Christ, each person was dead in their sins, following mute and dumb idols. There is nothing about any follower of Christ that makes him unique or more deserving of God’s gifts than another. All are equal in His eyes for, before their redemption, all were sinners deserving of death, but now, all are undeserving trophies of His grace. Be it Jew or Greek, slave or free, all members of the body have been redeemed by God for His purposes and His glory, no one rises above another (v. 13).

Therefore, when God bestows these gifts, it must be understood that there is nothing about each individual that makes him better or more deserving in the eyes of God. When God, through the Spirit, equips each Christian with a unique gift or calling, the choice to give such gifts is apportioned “to each one individually as he wills” (v. 11). In other words, it is only by God’s divine will that anyone is given any particular gift and that His will is not dependent on anything outside His sovereign decree. All men are equally sinful and deserving of hell and all those redeemed are equally undeserving of His grace. Yet, God decrees the giving of His gifts to each man for the express purpose of fulfilling His divine will and bringing glory to Himself by serving the body of Christ for the common good.

It must be understood that these gifts are not for those who receive them, rather they are for the mutual upbuilding and benefit of the entire body. Furthermore, no Christian can esteem their gifts as being more important or necessary than other gifts. Paul makes this clear in verses 14 through 16 when he writes:

“For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body.”

Every person and every gift within the body of Christ serves a particular purpose according to God’s divinely appointed plan. Just as a car engine can catastrophically fail when one bolt breaks, so the body of Christ does not fully function without each person humbly serving one another with the gifts with which they are equipped. The person who prays diligently in their home for the spiritual health of the church has equal value to the pastor who prominently leads the body in worship. We must cherish all the gifts we are given and never think we are useless unless we have the gifts which others possess. God’s purposes in supplying those gifts make each person necessary within the life of the church.

Worse yet, are those who believe their gifts make them more important or necessary to the body of Christ. Paul writes in verses 21 and 22:

“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable…”

Some Christians may view their more public and obvious gifts as making themselves more deserving of honor or special treatment. It becomes all too easy to believe that their acts of teaching, leadership, preaching, etc. make them far more necessary than the person who quietly comes alongside others to minister through personal counseling, words of encouragement, prayer, and the like. Because they are more public and can be seen by everyone, the assumption they are better for the health of the body is a trap that can be too easily fallen into. But, any professing Christian who believes their particular gifts make them better or superior to another, or who believes other gifts are unworthy of acknowledgment, acts the same as a physical body which denies the need for the hand or the foot. It is a foolish nonsensical mindset, as Paul highlights in this passage.

To take the matter further, Paul makes it clear that those people whose gifts seem less necessary or “weaker” are actually “indispensable.” What good is a church building with a pastor when there is no congregation to hear the preaching? What use is teaching if there are none to apply what is to be learned? What help is a discernment ministry if there is no one to learn and share with others? Those whose public and obvious gifts are meant for the building up of the body have no purpose when they fail to rely on the body to put their own gifts into practice, gifts which are honed and sharpened under the public teaching and preaching of the “honorable” parts of the body. This is why God gives “greater honor to the parts that lacked it” (v. 24). In God’s economy, every single member of the church is honored in some capacity because each uses his gifts for the purpose for which He gave them. When one is honored, all are honored together (v.26).

Christians must dispense with the twisted idea that some gifts make them better or superior to others. Each gift is purposely given, not for the recognition and honor of the bearer, but that it might be used specifically for the service of others. The gifts of God are meant to humble us so that we might be servants and glorify the giver of the gifts. Yes, every Christian may excel in some area or other when it comes to their gifts, yet, in like manner, they will be weaker or less capable as compared to their brethren in other areas. This is why Paul uses the analogy of the physical body. Each piece must work specifically to serve the others. Any physical part of the body that begins to work solely for itself will deprive all others and, in time, irreparably damage the body as a whole. We have a medical term for a body part that destroys the rest of the body, cancer. When cancer cells grow and multiply, they destroy the healthy parts of the body by stealing and depriving the body of what it needs. In time, without direct intervention, cancer kills. In like manner, any professing Christian who esteems themselves as better or superior to other Christians, who believe their gifts and callings place them in a higher status above all others, will equally deprive and kill the church.

Christians, praise God that He gives us gifts and use them mightily in His service. Yet, do not esteem your gifts as something that makes you more unique or deserving. Also, do not judge yourself as somehow lesser or worthless because you do not have the gifts of another. Humble yourself and know that God has purposed your gifts for the specific reason that He has called you to serve in a capacity that grows the church, makes it healthy, and glorifies His name. Be humble in your use of the gifts and reject any idea that God’s gifts make anyone greater or lesser than another. You did not deserve any of these gifts but God in His lovingkindness gave them to you because He loves you and desires to use you. Meditate on this today, then go serve one another, glorifying Him who equipped you.

Note: This article was also published on X.com.

Andrew Tate Is Not Masculine

March 10, 2025 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

The recent craze surrounding self-appointed masculinity expert, Andrew Tate, continues to garner public attention. Tate built his financial wealth by prostituting women through websites such as “Only Fans.” He has made a name for himself by encouraging men to be physically fit and desirable to women. Furthermore, he has drawn public attention through bold speech, arguing that men must be willing to fight for what they want, must work hard, and stand up for nationalistic ideologies. His brashness, appearance of being tough, and unapologetic pride have drawn many young men into his wake. For them, Tate is the epitome of manliness. This has resulted in his being accepted and sought after by politically conservative personalities as a spokesman for masculinity.

However, Tate has a dark side. Allegations with accompanying videos and testimonies abound regarding his physical violence toward women. He regards marriage as a worthless institution and claims that men should seek to have numerous sexual encounters with a variety of women, so much so that he has accused men who seek marriage of being homosexual. He has stated that pastors who rebuke his practices are envious of him because he has made numerous women pregnant. Furthermore, Tate is facing numerous criminal allegations regarding his pandering and physical violence toward women. The stark reality is that Andrew Tate is a man of uncontrolled lust, anger, and speech, none of which meets the standard of masculinity set by Scripture.

The pursuits of men such as Tate are the works of the flesh according to Scripture (Gal. 5:19-21). While God indeed made women to be the perfect helper for men (Gen. 2:18-23), that relationship was to be confined to one man and one woman in a lifelong relationship called marriage (vv. 24-25). Tate’s pursuit of multiple partners is an utter rejection of God’s design for men. Furthermore, his rejection of marriage demonstrates how he despises God’s command that men are to love their wives in a self-sacrificing manner, putting her needs before his own (Eph. 5:25). A man who pursues multiple women purely to satisfy his sexual desire demonstrates that he is self-centered and could not care less about what God has called him to be. Additionally, Tate’s marketing of women to men looking for the easy gratification of online porn is drawing men into the sin of lust in the heart, which Christ condemned in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:28). Everything about Tate is a man who not only celebrates sin but demands other men join him in his rebellion against God (1 Peter 4:4).

Another matter of concern is Andrew Tate’s unmatched pride and arrogance. He has repeatedly demonstrated that there is never a time when anyone can teach him anything. The manner in which he not only promotes himself as an idol to model oneself after but also denigrates any person who challenges his position reveals much about the pride in his heart. God hates pride. It is the sin that drew Satan and the fallen angels into rebellion before God. It is the sin by which Adam was tempted to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Pride is the very root of sin in the heart of man and the core of almost all other sins. It is the sin of self-aggrandizement, believing oneself to be higher and better than all others. It denies the truth of Scripture which calls the heart of man “deceitful above all things and desperately sick” (Jer. 17:9) and thinks itself to be better than even God declares man to be. But, Proverbs 18:18 tells us, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Those who trust in themselves will one day face the God they refused to humble themselves before.

Biblical manliness is found in the heart of the man who does not exalt self, rather he exalts the God who has redeemed him. James reminds us that, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble,” (4:6) and that men are to humble themselves before God, doing the works that He gives us, trusting that it is He that will exalt us in His timing (4:10). True masculinity emulates the perfect God-man, Jesus Christ, who emptied himself by stepping out of the throne of Heaven, becoming a servant and obeying all that the Father commanded, even to the point of death (Phil. 2:5-8). In all that he did, Jesus never trumpeted himself as the King all men were to follow. Rather, he taught and served exactly as the Father commanded, allowing himself to be exalted at the proper time, waiting for the day that every knee will bow and all men will worship him as Lord and Savior (2:9-11). Christ has made it clear that those who mimic Tate in pursuing pride and self-exaltation will one day find themselves humbled by the hand of God when they face his judgment (Matt. 23:12).

Lastly to be considered is that Tate is a man of unwarranted violence. His verbal and physical abuse has been documented and demonstrated publicly. While physical violence may be warranted in defense of self or others, or the defense of one’s nation in a just war, God gave numerous commandments in the law (as seen in Exodus 21:12-27) regarding the punishments one would receive for striking another. When men strike other people unjustly, when they cause physical harm to one another, it is a sin against God himself. Yet, it is not merely the act of unjust violence that condemns a man, it is the unwarranted hatred and anger within one’s heart for which God will judge men (see Matt. 5:21-22 and 1 John 3:15). Hatred is born out from from the heart which is tempted by envy and disdain for others. Over time, that hatred and disgust boil over into one’s speech and actions, resulting in the wickedness of violence against another (see James 1:14-15). Men such as Tate show the evil within their hearts when they verbally tear down others and act out with physical aggression against them. Biblically masculine men are those who esteem others better than themselves (Phil. 2:3) and seek to love others as they love themselves (Mark 12:31). Unjust hatred, anger, and violence are rejected because men are to love God and love others as he has commanded us. Those men who demonstrate anger and violence toward others are not masculine, they are brute beasts who reject God’s reign over their lives.

Andrew Tate is not masculine by any biblical definition. He is a proud, angry, and lust-filled man who believes himself to be better than everyone else. He despises God and his word, believing his own depraved mind to be better counsel than God can offer to mankind. His influence over men in this world should be rejected at every level. He should be given no platform from which to espouse his godless and wicked ideology. Christians should expose his evil for what it is, calling on him and all who follow him to repent of their lawlessness. Christians should reject any politically conservative influencer who promotes Tate and his crowd, for those who promote him share in his wickedness. The church should instead preach true biblical masculinity which commands men to serve God humbly, loving others, restraining their minds and lusts, and leading as Christ has done, as the perfect servant-leader. Those who do so demonstrate truly biblical manliness.

Note: This article was also published at X.com.

A Christian’s Identity is in Christ Alone

February 26, 2025 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

Within professing evangelicalism is the tendency to prefix an adjective to one’s identity as a Christian. While some may seem a bit innocuous by describing the stripe of their faith (Reformed, biblical, or born-again Christian) or their national citizenship (American Christian), others have attached an ethnic modifier (i.e., white-Christian, black-Christian, Asian-Christian, etc.). Still others have added the dubious and sinful marks of identity to their “Christianity” (LGBTQ Christian, Gay Christian, etc). There may be a myriad of reasons a person may feel compelled to affix these titles to the Christian faith; however, it raises the question of whether such modifiers are necessary or even biblical.

There are times when descriptors may be necessary. In some cases, when identifying the doctrinal beliefs under which a Christian may operate, referring to something like Reformed or Progressive Christianity is a short-hand form of telling others what you believe. Likewise, when there is a need to explain how national ideologies have impacted the Christian faith, comparing or contrasting American Christians with Middle Eastern Christians can be appropriate. In other words, adjectives can and do have uses that are helpful in discussions and in no way conflict with how Scripture describes the Christian faith. Yet, not all adjectives are created equal. Other modifiers are used specifically to center on one’s sense of identity upon which they append the Christian faith. Some seek to identify themselves solely by their sinful proclivities (gay, LGBT, trans, etc). They then attempt to legitimize their identities by forcing a connection to Christ by calling themselves Gay or LGBT-Christians. They take that which is patently sinful according to Scripture and attempt to turn it into virtue by affixing it to the name of Christ. This is blasphemous to Christ because it tries to make God, who condemns their sin, their chief cheerleader. It also demonstrates how little they understand the Christian faith as not only do they refuse repentance from sin, but they are also making themselves the center of their faith by using their personal adjective to describe Christianity rather than being transformed by Christ. Such usage is the definition of sin.

While the above examples deal with the far ends of the spectrum of adjective usage, there is a more common yet concerning issue. While it may not be quite as inherently sinful, some attempt to attach their ethnicity to Christianity, and they face a similar problem. Today, there has been a lot of debate surrounding ethnicity and whether or not it is appropriate to have churches, gatherings, or communities that are focused solely on ethnic identity. While very few professing Christians (though they do unfortunately exist) would argue it is appropriate for there to be a “whites only” church, association, or community, there are those who believe other ethnic groups should be afforded such consideration. It is not uncommon to see arguments in favor of Christians who are black, Hispanic, or Asian to be given space and have gatherings with other persons of their shared ethnic heritage. Such places, it is argued, are necessary to be safe to feel in community and separate from the alleged oppressive forces of our current culture. Thus, it is considered normal for one to use the ethnic identifying descriptors as a prefix to their professed faith. However, this places the primary focus on their personal sense of ethnic identity as opposed to their identity in Christ. And that is where the problem lies.

When writing to the Galatian church, the apostle Paul argues that their obsession with returning to the Old Covenant law signifies an abandonment of their New Covenant salvation in Christ. Paul states that their identity in Christ marks their profession of faith, an identity that comes only by faith alone in the completed work of Christ (2:15-16). The law could not save anyone; it could only reveal that every man, woman, and child is guilty of sin before God. While the law was not useless, it was an absolute necessity because it made them aware of sin and their need for Christ. It was given to them so that they might come to Christ (3:21-24). This becomes the lynchpin of Paul’s argument: because the law has led them to Christ, and they have turned to Him in faith, they have now “put on Christ” (3:27). Paul takes this one step further when he writes, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (3:28). In other words, their entire identity is now in Christ. It defines their very being and existence. They did not supernaturally become sexless beings lacking any ethnically identifiable traits; they still retained all the hallmarks of their humanity. Yet, those markers have become secondary, even tertiary, to their identity in Christ. They are a new people entirely, unified as one body across all nations, cultures, and times because they belong to the Savior who has redeemed them all. This is why turning back to the Old Covenant law is such an assault on Christ: it is a rejection of this new identity, a reversion to identifying themselves by their works and attempted obedience to the very law that was meant to lead them to Christ.

Christians today face a similar issue. When Christians seek to add the modification of their biological identity to Christ, they reject the idea that they are defined as a new people or a new creation. When they seek to find community based on the ethnic prefix, they are saying that there is more in common with someone who has common ancestral attributes than with someone who shares their faith in Christ yet lacks similar DNA. The Galatians were called foolish because they were turning from their identity in Christ and were placing their trust in a shared sense of working and earning merit from God. This community was being built upon a false premise that they could be accepted by what they did rather than their common faith in Christ. Likewise, those who argue for adjective-based Christianity seek to establish common ground on what can be seen by the naked eye (ethnic appearance) and like-minded ideologies (i.e., “if you have this particular ethnicity, you must think and act this way”). This is a rejection of the Scriptural truth that our identity is solely defined by our common saving faith in Christ. It is a turning away from Christ and turning back to the works of the world.

Interestingly, when Paul writes to the Galatians about their common identity, he identifies three particular groups: ethnic, sex, and slave/master relationships. Of the three, Scripture only gives us commands for two regarding the roles each must fulfill. Wives are to submit to their husbands and husbands are to love their wives (Ephesians 5:22-33). Slaves are to obey their masters and masters are to treat slaves fairly without threatening them (Ephesians 6:5-9). There are no such commands for those who are Jew or Gentile. However, Paul does address relationships between the two in Romans 11:17-24. He had written of his love for the Jewish people and their rebellion against God, teaching that their removal from their place and the subsequent grafting in of the Gentiles was to provoke them to jealousy that they might one day return. It was here that Paul commanded the Roman believers not to be arrogant, thinking their own inclusion made them better than the Jews. For, just as the Jews were removed and themselves added, they could be removed and the Jews added back. In other words, the ethnic identities of either group meant absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. It was their faith in Christ and their commitment to living in obedience to Him that mattered above all. The only command was not to be haughty about one’s ethnic identity and not to mistreat the other for their own. This is such a blow to the idea that we should ever be concerned with ethnically based adjective Christianity.

The use of adjectives has its place, even within the Christian church, but that use is limited in its scope. We are identified by our union with Christ alone. And, within that union, we are united as one new people (Gal. 3:28), we are commanded to come together regularly to celebrate our union in Christ (Heb. 10:25), and we are given gifts to serve and build one another up in Christ (see 1 Cor. 12). God calls us to be a people unique and set apart from the world, brought together to be the visible example of the gospel at work in this life. When we seek to divide ourselves along these lines of personal identity and add modifiers to our Christianity, we make ourselves the focus, and not Christ. This ought not to be. Let us reject the world’s means of declaring our identity, let us reject divisive descriptors, and let us embrace our one true identity in Christ alone. Let this identify us and drive us to the good works that God has set before us.

Note: This article was also published at X.com.

Repentance and Forgiveness in an Age of Digital Relationships

February 19, 2025 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

Two of the most important aspects of the Christian faith are repentance and forgiveness. They are the foundational elements of how one even becomes a Christian for it is through repentance (turning from sin) and faith (turning to Christ) that one is forgiven. There is no Christianity apart from these two elements. This is why Christ commands repentance from all persons everywhere and throughout all time (Acts 17:30) and directs Christians to grant forgiveness to those who seek it (Matt. 6:14-15). Just as one cannot call oneself a Christian if he or she lives in unrepentant sin, neither can we claim to follow Christ if we refuse to grant forgiveness to those who ask it and seek to make amends for their offense.

In the setting of the local church, this is demonstrated when a person comes before another, confesses their guilt, repents, makes restitution, and asks for forgiveness. It is personal, upfront, and can be aided by the elders of the church when called upon. We can see the guilty party’s actions and work with them through the process of forgiveness and reconciliation. While the aggrieved person may truly forgive, the one who sinned still must demonstrate a willingness to change their thoughts and behaviors to keep from such behavior in the future. In the physical presence of many brethren, those who give mere lip service to repentance, who make no real changes to their thoughts, words, and deeds, will be quickly exposed. This can result in further counseling or even church discipline when required. In a church where these matters are taken seriously, there is little room to hide behind words alone.

Yet, in the 21st century, Christians are not isolated from relationships that occur solely in the presence of the local church. With the explosion of digital technology and social media over the last couple of decades, relationships no longer are confined to one’s local community. We are connected with people around the globe and can build relationships with people we may never meet face-to-face. Furthermore, these relationships exist 24/7. We can communicate with virtually anyone at any time with little to no restraint. Christians can build virtual communities with each other and never have to experience the limitations set by schedules, jobs, childcare, uncomfortable group settings, and more. It is little wonder why so many people live much of their lives in these virtual settings. While seemingly more comfortable than living with one another face-to-face, virtual relationships face many challenges as well. The ability to create echo chambers, to block anyone who creates obstacles to our comfortability, and to be swept up in an antagonistic mob mentality is all too easy when those you interact with are pixels on a screen rather than a flesh and blood person. Therefore, just as in the real-life arena, Christians can and do sin against one another in the digital world. The question becomes how one addresses sin, repentance, and forgiveness in this environment.

The unique nature of social media gives every user a modicum of anonymity. Usernames and profile pictures can be purely fictional, never revealing the truth about a person’s identity. Even when someone is willing to use their true name and image, the lack of physical presence before others makes it easier to curate his or her appearance in the virtual world. We show the online community only that which we want them to see. And, with that sense of anonymity, we can easily set aside the fact that we are dealing with physical people on the other side of the screen. Compassion, kindness, and grace are all too easily discarded because we do not see the impact of our words and behavior toward others. Mistreatment, lying, bullying, and even defrauding others can become justifiable because we are only dealing with screen names, not real people. Sin becomes so much easier in such an environment. With that in mind, the idea of holding someone accountable for their sins suddenly feels daunting. When others are simply pixels on the screen, the certainty over the conviction of sin, repentance, and the ability to forgive appears to be impossible to discern.

Difficult though it may be, Christians are still obligated to address sin as they see it in their midst, virtual or otherwise. Passages such as Matthew 18:15-20 and James 5:19-20 require Christians to confront sin, call on their brethren to repent, and seek reconciliation. This may be more difficult in a virtual setting, but it is not impossible. First and foremost, the confrontation for sin must occur. Ideally, this could be done through private messaging or phone/Zoom-style calls. This allows for person-to-person contact outside the view of others. If such contact is rebuffed or repentance is rejected, then as Christ commanded, trying to mediate with other persons may become necessary. This is not done to shame or gang up on the person, but to hopefully help the sinner see the seriousness of their behavior online and to provide oneself with witnesses that these attempts are being made according to Scripture. If repentance is further rejected, it may be necessary to seek out the sinner’s church, if this can be determined, and provide the elders with documentation of all efforts so they can address the matter themselves. If such information is not available, and all other avenues are exhausted, it is advisable to step away from further contact so that we do not provide the person further means to sin in the same manner. Furthermore, one may need to warn other online users if the sin involves lying, theft, or defrauding in order to protect them from harm. None of this is to be done to shame, bully, or even dox the sinner. This is all done because we desire the repentance and reconciliation of one’s brother or sister in Christ.

If the person found to be in sin confesses and seeks forgiveness, we can forgiven and rejoice, yet we should desire to see genuine repentance occur. Where the sin is public (and it almost always is on social media) the confession should be public as well. It should also be immediate, for when sin is left to hide in the dark corners it is all too easy for someone to later mitigate, minimize, and even justify their behavior. Genuine repentance expresses a willingness to be seen by others and to be held accountable for future acts. Those giving lip service are less likely to publicly admit their wrongdoing even though they showed no such resistance to their public sin. They should also be encouraged to stand before their own elders and seek biblical counsel on why they sinned, what drove such thoughts and intents, and how they might seek to avoid sin in the future. If the sin involved some kind of defrauding of others, the person should be called upon to confess to all the aggrieved parties and make restitution where necessary. Lastly, it may be necessary to urge the person to cut themselves off from all social media use that is not watched over by the elders of their church. Christ made it clear that whatever gives us the means to sin should be removed from our lives (Matt. 5:29-30). While sin is a matter of the heart, if social media is the means of temptation, then repentance requires that it either be removed or heavily monitored. Those who refuse any and all such steps, or who seek to minimize the sin, claiming such repentance is unneeded, are likely exhibiting guilt over the consequences of sin rather than over the sin itself. It may be necessary to walk away from any further association with such a person and hand the matter over to God, trusting He will deal rightly with them.

The virtual world is distinct from the real world, yet it exists alongside and is used by flesh and blood people. Sin will occur in both arenas and Scripture calls upon us to address sinners so that repentance and forgiveness may occur. When we do this rightly, it pictures the gospel to all who are watching. If we fail to do it, then, not only do we allow sin to run rampant among professing believers, but we also communicate to those impacted by those sinners that sin does not matter much to us, or God. Both should be unacceptable to Christians. Let us be a people who desire to see our brethren conform to the image of Christ by calling on one another to live in obedience and to be repentant when we fail, both in the real and digital worlds.

Note: This article was also published on X.com

We Must Call Them to Repent

February 12, 2025 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

The gospel of Jesus Christ redeems sinners. That is the Christian message, that is what we are called to preach to the lost of this world. Mankind is dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1) because we all are born with a sin nature (Ps. 51:5). Because our federal head, Adam, sinned in the garden, all mankind has been impacted by the stain of sin on our very souls (Rom. 5:12). Since we are conceived in sin, we live out our lives enslaved to sin, and all we do is sin (Rom. 6:20). When we stand before God, we will receive the due payment for our sin, eternal death in the fires of Hell (Rom. 6:23). There is no hope in ourselves or anything of this world by which we can be freed from sin and avoid the just wrath of God to come. Only one thing can free us from our fate and that is Jesus Christ.

When Christ came into this world, He took on humanity, lived a perfect life in thought word, and deed, and then died a sacrificial death for sinners on the cross. He took the just wages of sin, the wrath of God upon Himself, that the penalty might be paid in the place of sinners (Rom. 5:15-21). The righteous God-Man Jesus Christ willingly laid down His life so that guilty sinners might go free (John 10:18). And how is this accomplished? Sinners must repent of (turn from) their sins (Matt. 4:17) and place their complete trust in Christ alone. Trusting in Christ means confessing that He is Lord and that He died in one’s place and rose from the grave, defeating sin and death (Rom. 10:9). It is through this act of repentance and faith that sinners are freed from sin and made new creations in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). As a new creation, the sinner is made righteous, his heart of stone is replaced with a heart of flesh that is inclined to love and obey God (Ezekiel 36:26). The gospel is a message that frees the sinner from enslavement to the passions of his flesh, creates in him a new heart that he might live in obedience to Christ, and then spend eternity with the Savior who redeemed Him. This is the most precious and important message any person can hear and it is the duty of all Christians everywhere to proclaim it to the world.

The only problem is that the world hates this message. Those dead in their sins hate hearing there is a God over them who will hold them accountable for sin. They love their sins and will do anything to remain in that which they believe gives them pleasure, fleeting though it may be. Therefore, sinners will concoct any scheme they can to unseat God from His throne and put themselves in His place. From denying that God exists to creating idolatrous versions of God that they worship in His place, mankind will do anything to silence their God-given consciences against the knowledge that they will face His judgment. This includes reinventing the Christian faith in such a way that it ignores Scripture’s command to preach repentance (for both the sinner and the saint) and replacing it with feel-good messages that coax sinners into believing God loves them no matter what. Or, they desire a message of “tolerance” that denies certain acts are sinful at all. In both cases, when professing Christians acquiesce to these desires, they neglect the duty of the church to proclaim the whole counsel of God and fail to proclaim the true gospel of Christ.

When the church either waters down Scripture’s teachings regarding sin or denies that people are sinning despite the clarity of God’s word, it does sinners no favors whatsoever. By enticing the sinner into the pews without addressing the need for repentance from sin, Christians appeal to the unregenerate flesh of the world rather than piercing the heart with the truth of God. Sinners are made to feel comfortable and included while still being at war with God. There is no examination of one’s heart and no understanding of their desperate need for forgiveness. Sinners then believe they can stand before God on their own merit and they feel no fear before Him. This is a dereliction of duty on the part of the church. The unrepentant and unregenerate sinner has been assured God loves him despite the fact he has never truly trusted in Christ for his forgiveness because he doesn’t believe his sins are really a problem. The sinner is “comforted” with sweet words of encouragement while being set on the path of eternal condemnation.

When sinners are given false assurance of their having a relationship with Christ apart from genuine repentance and faith, they continue in their sins believing God has no issue with them. For example, sexual immorality is rampant in our current culture. So much so that many churches either turn a blind eye to heterosexual couples living in sexual sin outside of marriage, or they are tripping over themselves to be “inclusive” of LGBT persons, assuring them God loves them as they are. Furthermore, many such persons publicly celebrate their sexual sin and demand Christians affirm not only their lifestyle but also their alleged relationship with Christ. However, all these individuals are living in unrepentant sin and Scripture makes clear that such persons will have no part of the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10). While every true Christian struggles with sin and will fall into sin, those who refuse repentance and live in an ongoing state of sin will face the eternal wrath of God (1 John 3:9). The most wicked thing the church can do for these persons is deny them the truth that their sins will condemn them eternally.

Professing Christians are not being loving or showing grace to sinners by neglecting the commands of Scripture on these matters. Sin is a serious matter before God. He will not look on sin and will bring His just and righteous wrath upon it on Judgment Day. Christians must have the courage to speak the truth regardless of how they are received by the world at large. Both inside the church and without, people need to hear of God’s condemnation of sin. Those in the church must be reminded what sin cost for them to be forgiven, the death of Christ on the cross. They must be corrected, reproved, and rebuked that they may not return to the shackles of sin (Rom. 6:16). But, those outside the church, those living in continuous, unrepentant sin must hear that they face the righteous judgment of God apart from their turning away from sin and turning to Christ alone. If we refuse to do this for them, if we give them smooth words that would make them more comfortable around us, then we are not loving. In fact, we show that we have no love for them at all. Shame on us if we do so.

Note: This article was also published at X.com

Why God Allows Us to Suffer

January 30, 2025 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

Trials, tribulations, and suffering are common to all mankind. Whether it be a bad day on the job, a difficult family life, debilitating illness, financial ruin, heinous criminal action, or a tyrannical government, every person who has lived, currently lives, or ever will live has and will face suffering. If there is one standard in life, apart from death, it is that every single person will endure difficulty in their life. It cannot be escaped no matter how hard we try. The world will do everything it can to explain, and even mitigate, suffering but it will never fully grasp why it exists or what can be done. The Christian, however, has the answer. Suffering exists because God permits it for His purposes and for our ultimate good (see Rom. 8:28). God allows evil and suffering because He is the perfect and all-wise God who works all things according to His providence to accomplish all that He set out to do for His eternal glory. And we, as God’s redeemed people, are the recipients of His grace as He uses suffering to shape us for His plans and purposes.

We know that no evil may befall us that God has not first permitted. In the opening chapters of Job, we are given a peek behind the eternal veil as the Lord questions Satan as to his consideration of God’s servant. Satan charges that Job (a man attested as “blameless and upright”) only serves God because he has received material blessing from Him. God permits Satan to take all but Job’s health (1:12) which the accuser believes will bring Job’s cursing. Yet, Job remains righteous, causing Satan to claim that he would curse God if his health were afflicted. God again allows Satan to afflict Job, but not to kill him (2:6). The remainder of the book is a master class for Christians of how we are to understand and respond to God in our suffering. But, these opening chapters reveal there is no evil, no affliction, and no suffering that occurs in our lives that has not first been permitted by the almighty God of all creation. And, as we see in the book of Job, He calls upon us to trust Him completely rather than demand that He justify His allowance of such difficulty to befall us.

One reason we encounter suffering in our lives, as we see in Job, is that God is testing us through the refiner’s fire. Proverbs 17:3 tells us, “The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.” The heat of the furnace melts precious metals and draws the impurities to the surface where they can be scraped away. The hotter the furnace, the more the metal is tested, the purer the final product becomes. God brings affliction into our lives because it reveals the content and intents of our hearts. When we are cut off in traffic or the doctor is late to the appointment we have waited weeks for, what is our normal reaction? Irritation, frustration, and a tendency to demand retribution. And that is for minor inconveniences. However, if we are truly trusting that the Lord is in control of all things, should not our reaction be to worship God that He has determined this moment for us and is using it to refine us? Our response to suffering (be it minor or something that causes significant pain) reveals where our hearts lie and in what we are trusting. Trials can be a time for us to examine our hearts, find where we are failing to trust in the Lord, and repent of our faithlessness in His providence.

In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul opens with his greetings to the church, blessing God as “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (1 Cor. 1:3-4). Affliction is often permitted in the life of a Christian first that we seek the comfort of God who watches over and cares for us. God is our loving Father who not only knows all that we need and will provide (see Matt. 6:25-34) but He comforts through His word, the Holy Spirit, and by sending us brethren who walk alongside us in our darkest times. God also uses these times of affliction to train us up so that we might be comforters to other brethren when suffering arrives on their doorstep. Tribulations are not simply a difficulty with which we must deal until better days arrive. They are God’s training camp wherein He equips His children to love and care for others by giving them the comfort they so desperately need. Christians need to look for and remember all the ways God comforts us as we walk through what seem to be the most unbearable trials. The times of strength when we did not think we could endure, the moments of love where other Christians came and shouldered our burdens. The times when His word ministered to our hearts, reminding us of the day when there would be no more suffering, no more death, and no more tears. When we remember these times, we can then minister to others to bring that comfort as they suffer just as we once did.

Finally, God permits suffering as a means of strengthening us by causing us to be dependent on His strength alone. When God strips everything away, when He forces us to recognize all the ways the world has become an idol to us, He is all that we have left in which to trust. Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, revealed a time of suffering, what he called a thorn in his flesh, that he appealed to God three times to remove. God’s response to Paul was “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2. Cor. 12:9). Paul recognized and celebrated that God would buffet his body and his life for the Lord’s power to be put on display and His name glorified. Paul became more trusting and dependent on the strength of God, therefore, he commended the Corinthians to have such trust in Him as well. Furthermore, in his first epistle, the apostle Peter encourages Christians to cast their anxieties on Christ “because he cares for you” knowing that one day, He would one day exalt them before the Father (1 Pe. 5:6-7). Additionally, Peter encouraged them in this by writing, “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (5:10). God permits tribulation as a means to not only reveal His power but also as a signpost to the believer that He will build us up and strengthen us in Himself. Suffering encourages us to trust solely in God’s strength both in the trial and in the days to come. We will be better equipped to serve Him because we trust not in ourselves or the things of the world but in Him alone.

Take heart, dear Christian, as you navigate this life, encountering suffering and trials. God has permitted these times of difficulty for you, is using to to refine to, is equipping you to comfort others, and is making you dependent solely upon Him to endure. See these times, difficult and painful as they will be, as God’s blessing in your life. He cares for you and is making you into a tool fit for His service. Suffering is never enjoyable and always painful, yet it is God’s mercy as He changes us into what we are meant to be.

Note: This article has also been published at X.com

Trump Is President Again – Now What?

January 21, 2025 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

On January 20, 2025, Donald J. Trump once again took the oath of office making him the 47th President of the United States. He is now only the second President in history to serve two non-consecutive terms in office. For many Christians, his return to the White House is a moment of celebration as it marks the end of the Biden regime. Under former President Biden, the nation was subject to an administration that imposed the most debased sexually immoral culture upon the people. Any objection to the normalization and celebration of this depravity by the American public was met by the regime not only with labels of bigotry and hatred but even with the force of a justice system run amok. Biden made transgenderism the seminal issue of his administration, looking to force acceptance of bodily mutilation and hormone replacement upon every institution in the nation, including women’s sports and locker rooms. Even people who simply protested the murder of infants in the womb faced imprisonment because of Biden’s misuse of the legal system. Trump’s return to office is seen as a much-needed reversal of these depraved policies and practices.

President Trump immediately set out to undo much of Biden’s work shortly after taking the oath of office. During his inauguration speech, Trump declared that it would be the official United States policy that there are only two genders, male and female. The first Executive Order he signed reversed some 78 Executive Orders issued by Biden in the prior four years. Even the government-sponsored pro-abortion website, reproductiverights.gov, was taken down following his inauguration. Christians see these efforts as a positive move in returning the nation to conservative and perhaps even biblical values. The question for Christians, however, is how should we live under this new administration. With a President who seemingly is moving our nation away from the acceptance and practice of sexual immorality, what is required of the church at this time? The answer is the same as it has always been, live according to God’s word and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Governments and politics are a common grace of God to the world. Romans 13 tells us the governing authorities of the world have been instituted by God for the protection of each nation’s citizens and the punishment of evildoers. These duties are for the benefit of the people of those cultures but, just as any other institution in existence, fallen sinners populate governments. Therefore, governments will fail and even abuse their people. We cannot count on governments to always administer justice rightly. Nor should we expect that these authorities be able to change the hearts and minds of the people over which they preside. Only God can perfectly administer justice and only He, through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, can change sinful hearts. Christians are His representatives in the world to bring the life-changing and soul-saving message of the gospel, and so we must.

Sinners will continue to exist in our nation, and, by extension, they will look to influence the culture so that they may live out their sinful lives with no sense of guilt or condemnation. Voting for a new President and changing the policies of government will not stop this from happening. While President Trump did win both the electoral college and popular votes, it should be noted that Kamala Harris still received a sizable number of those votes as well. This shows that a substantial portion of the nation still desires the proliferation of sexually immoral policies. Furthermore, Trump’s campaign was weakened in this arena as he accepted the support of and platformed openly homosexual conservative activist groups. He also publicly supported allowing for abortion in some cases, opposing full abolition of the heinous practice. This demonstrates that conservative politics and voters are not immune to the effects of sin as well. Being mostly opposed to wicked policies but still supporting sexual depravity, even at a “lesser” level, reveals that sin-ladened hearts exist on all sides of the sociopolitical spectrum. While Christians can and should be engaged in the political process, it must not be at the expense of our duty to proclaim the gospel to all persons everywhere. While we may wish to see our nation embrace laws and policies that are not a direct assault on God’s word, we must love our neighbors, both liberal and conservative, so much that we cannot help but preach the truth of the gospel to them.

Christians must also seek to live out their faith before the world. The gospel that saves us also changes us. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that when we repent and trust in Christ, we are new creations (2 Cor. 5:17). This means we have new hearts with new desires, that we want to obey Christ out of sincere love for our Savior. Christians then should pursue lives consistent with our profession of faith. We must desire holiness and righteousness in all areas of our lives, in thought, word, and deed. Firstly, because it honors our Lord and Savior but, secondly because it demonstrates to the world around us that we believe in what we preach. Obedience to God is not optional for Christians and in our efforts to live out the commands of Christ, we show the world that pleasing Him who saved us is more important than anything else, even our sociopolitical pursuits. This kind of devotion to Christ bears great fruit in a sinful world. Those around us hear the gospel which changes hearts, but they also see our testimony of changed lives played out before them. And, even if the world rejects Christ, they can never escape the public witness of Christians who will never bow the knee to sinful ideologies. It will be a testimony against them when they stand before God on judgment day.

Christians can and should praise God that He has brought an end to a wicked political regime that sought to foist wicked and depraved policies on our nation. And we should continue to be involved in the political process in hopes of bringing God’s commandments into the public discourse. Yet, more importantly, we should proclaim Christ and Him crucified to all whom God places in our lives for the salvation of their souls has even greater importance than any election in history.

Note: This article was also published at X.com.

The Danger of Unjust Anger

January 7, 2025 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” (Mt 5:21–22)

We live at a time when sinful depravity is celebrated as virtue and godliness is treated as vice. Those who seek to uphold all that is right and good according to Scripture are seen as evil, people to be hated and shunned from society. As such, it is all too easy to cultivate a heart of unjust anger and even hatred, toward “those who call evil good and good evil” (Isa. 5:20). This is not to say that Christians cannot feel hurt, frustrated, and dismay over those who seek to persecute the church for preaching the truth about sin and its inevitable consequences. It would be irrational to expect Christians not to have a reasonable emotional response to evil in the world, especially that which is directed at the church. However, our emotions must not lead our thinking. Our biblically informed mind must guide and control our emotional state.

Jesus taught His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount that Christians will face persecution (Mt 5:10-12). It is not a question of if but when we will face the wrath of the world for standing with Christ. We may feel inclined to be angry at those who demand our acquiescence to their sin or their threats of persecution against us. However, Christ teaches His followers an altogether different reaction. When facing the onslaught of a wicked culture, Jesus taught, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” (Mt 5:12). Rather than be consumed by anger and hatred toward their persecutors, the followers of Christ are to count themselves as blessed to be counted among the prophets who came before them, those who paid the ultimate price for trusting in God. Christ commands us to fix our thinking on Him and His promises that we might be joyful even in the midst of the worst kind of affliction.

As Christians, we know that the world is dead in trespasses and sin. This is the default state of every human being outside of Jesus Christ. While God, in His common grace, restrains much of humanity from expressing just how evil it can be, we know that no one is capable of obeying and honoring God apart from being made a new creation in the Holy Spirit. It should not surprise us that the world will not only embrace sin but will demand we join them in their depraved celebration of it. So blinded are they by the passions of their sin, that they will attack and malign Christians who refuse to take part with them (see 1 Peter 4:4). It is when we lose sight of this biblical truth that we begin to succumb to a sense of shock and dismay as we watch the world enraptured with sinful abandon. This is not to say that sin should not grieve us deeply. It must do so for what else drives us to proclaim the gospel to those enslaved to sin? Yet, when we allow our emotions to override our understanding of God’s truth, grief over sin can change to distress, anxiousness, anger, and even hatred. Instead of being driven to compassion to proclaim the truth to sinners, we can be led to treat them as an enemy to be vanquished.

When we allow our emotions to lead our thinking, unjust anger and hatred for sinners can lead us to justify the mistreatment of the very persons who should be our mission field. Rather than preaching the truth in love – warning people of the wrath of God for sin and calling them to repentance and faith in Christ – we may find ourselves mocking, deriding, and cursing sinners. Instead of leading them to the path of salvation, we verbally assault those who stand opposed to God, attempting to drive them from public view. It is not compassion and love that drive us but animosity and anger. Furthermore, we will begin to justify our behavior, claiming that we are acting as the prophets and Jesus did when they stood against the world. Our emotional drift leads us to believe that our personal sense of offense that sinners actually sin can be categorized as righteous indignation rather than self-righteous anger. Once we allow ourselves to believe such behavior is acceptable, we turn a blind eye to Christ’s warning against unjust anger.

Christ’s sermon reveals that God’s law was not only about action but also the thoughts and intents of the heart. Adultery was not just the act of fornication with someone you are not married to but also the lustful thoughts of the heart and mind. Murder, one of the most heinous sins one can commit, was not just the act of taking a life but also the evil emotional state of hatred against that human being. God’s law demands complete perfection in thought, word, and deed. There is no means by which we can justify sins of the mind and heart. Even if never acted upon, the sins of our hearts, which no one may ever see, are enough to condemn us eternally. Therefore, when Christ preaches against unjust anger and verbal mockery, it should be a stark warning to all Christians everywhere. If we are called to live holy lives, that is not limited to how we act, but how we think and speak as well. When the Apostle John warns us that hatred of a brother places one in darkness (1 John 2:11) and even marks that person as a murderer in the eyes of God (3:15). And before we think we have found a loophole, it is no shield to say that sinners are not our brothers. Before we were redeemed in Christ, we were His enemies. Yet, while we were yet these wicked and vile rebels, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).

Christians must be wary of their hearts which so easily lead us to believe we can justify anger and hatred because sinners are evil. Indeed, they are, just as once we were. But Christ in his mercy sent compassionate, grace-filled believers to seek us out and proclaim the truth of the gospel to us. Yes, Christians must have a hatred for sin. We must so hate it that we seek to continuously repent of that which caused our Savior to die in our place. We must so inform our minds with God’s word that we recognize sins of unjust anger and hatred in our hearts and turn from them. We need to control the passions of our emotions by leaning heavily into the promises of Christ, knowing that any wickedness we face for His sake will be our blessing in eternity. Then, we must so despise sin in the world that we desperately call sinners around us to turn from it and turn to Christ who is the only hope of salvation.

NOTE: This article was also published on X.com.

We Do Not Need Celebrity Christians

April 13, 2024 / Chris Hohnholz / 1 Comment

Forgiveness and redemption, the testimony of a sinner who has renounced their sinful ways and turned to Christ, is always an amazing story. Human beings are, by nature, rebels against the sovereign King of all creation. By our wicked works, we seek to unseat God from His throne and put ourselves in His place. No matter what sins beset us, the central issue is the worship of self. We seek to please and fulfill ourselves constantly and above all else. Yet, when the gospel of Christ is proclaimed and the Holy Spirit humbles the human heart, bringing it to a place of repentance and faith, the rebel is redeemed and becomes an adopted son or daughter of the King. We are no longer at war, we are reconciled and made right with a Savior who loves us for all eternity. No other story can begin to compare.

Every genuine Christian loves to hear the stories of how Jesus Christ saved a sinner. We walked that road ourselves once before. We remember how we went from hating God to loving Him above all. We once lived only for ourselves only to be transformed and now live our lives in devotion to Him. So, when another Christian comes forward with that testimony, we cannot wait to hear how Christ gripped that new believer, ripping him or her out of the world of sinful depravity, and made that person His own.

The stories of transforming grace run the gamut of human experience. Some people lived relatively quiet, unassuming lives, thinking they were pretty good with God. They may have even grown up in the church and thought they made them Christian enough. But, God exposed them to the truth, showing them that there are none good and all need Christ. In repentance and faith, they became a story of God’s saving grace.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have murderers, thieves, drug addicts, idol worshippers, and the sexually degenerate. They can testify of lives lived in utter rebellion, seeking after the most vile passions to satisfy the lusts of their flesh. They know how great their hatred for God truly was, how much their love for self destroyed lives around them. Yet, God in His glorious grace showed them their true nature, how wicked and vile they were in His eyes, and how just His eternal judgment on them would be. God humbled them and wrought massive change in their lives through His work of justification and redemption.

We love these testimonies, from the most mundane to the most dramatic, they all speak of the kindness and love of God. However, there is something we must be honest about. The stories of the greatest turnarounds, the ones where the most vile human being suddenly becomes the most humble and loving person by God’s hands get our attention a little bit more. It should not be so but, if we are being truthful, we love the pauper to prince story. Our ears perk up just a bit more when the story is about the satan worshipper turned Christian instead of the local nice guy office worker coming to faith because he read a gospel tract. There is something a bit more exciting about the former than the latter.

This is where the story of the celebrity turning Christian comes into play. Celebrities (whether they be actors, athletes, musicians, politicians, or influencers) are rarely known for their upstanding morals and stable lifestyles. The reason that so many magazines, news programs, and television shows exist specifically to detail the lives of celebrities is because we want to see them living lives so very different from our own. We want to know about the scandals, the breakups, the drug addictions, and the degeneracy. Celebrity gossip is just another form of entertainment for our wicked hearts.

Therefore, when a celebrity suddenly professes in a public forum that they have renounced their wicked lives and turned to Christ, we Christians get really excited. Just like the testimony of the drug addicted serial adulterer perks those ears up, the celebrity coming to faith is that story that becomes very important to us. That publicly degenerate person that everyone salivated over being “one of us” just satisfies the longing for another exciting testimony all the more.

Perhaps more concerning, however, is that we see the high-profile convert as something more than just an exciting testimony to be heard. Not only does the story feel good to hear, we get to do something with it. We get to put that celebrity on display for the entire world to see. The average Joe who gets saved when a friend shares the gospel with him is not a story the world at large cares about. They do not know who Joe is and could not care less about him. But, the celebrity, well, everyone knows who that is. And now, that same everyone gets to see the degenerate celebrity become a Christian, can hear their testimony, and we can promote that person to everyone we know as God really doing something amazing.

Celebrity Christians become trophies, not of God’s grace, but of our religious camp to be put on display. We get to claim this very important person, who once belonged to the world at large, as one of our own. And, in doing so, we gain a kind of validation, that the Christian faith is important. So much so, that the most well-known and recognized can become our public faces, our mouthpieces to the world.

This public face, this desire to have them speak and be seen for us, becomes so all-important that we forget new Christians are people who need, above all else, godly discipleship and teaching to grow in the faith. And that is damaging to the sinner-turned-believer. Sinners saved by grace are certainly indwelt by the Holy Spirit, provided they are genuinely saved. But, they are neither mature nor well instructed. Getting saved does not equal becoming all-knowing. New believers need to be taught the Word, taught how to pray, and taught to discern not only true from false, but true from almost true. New believers can testify to the gospel and its transforming work in their lives but they are ill-equipped to become the public voice of the Christian faith.

Furthermore, new believers need leaders and mature believers to guide them as temptation and sin continue to be a part of their lives. While Christians are freed from the power of sin, we need the knowledge of the Word and the discipleship of the elders to train us in resisting sin. We need our brethren who have been gifted and equipped to edify us and be ears to hear our cries when temptation threatens to overwhelm us. The new believer thrust into the spotlight is being denied this all-important time of growth and maturity. They are being thrown into the deep end of the pool when they barely even know how to dog paddle. It is a selfish people who care more about the celebrity being a public face instead of caring about the growth of their souls.

Of course, there is another aspect we far too often overlook when it comes to the celebrity as well: false conversion. Jesus’ parable of the soils tells us that not all who claim to follow Christ are truly His. It takes time for the grain to grow and develop fruit. The time can also reveal those who have no depth of soil or those who will be choked out by the weeds. The Christian life is one in which trial and tribulation are our birthright. Such difficulty reveals those false converts who fall away in the heat of the world. Or those who have never truly repented and turned back to their sinful lives when the cares of the world matter far more to them than the Savior they profess.

When we immediately cling to the celebrity Christian rather than desiring them to come under the teaching of sound, biblical churches, we can be guilty of helping promote false brethren to the world. People who will give the heathen reason to blaspheme the Lord because they think God just cannot seem to keep His people under His wing. No, we do not need to demand the celebrity provide incontrovertible proof of their salvation before we give praise to God and welcome them into the church. But, we ought not to promote them and platform them as our public voices when the seed has not yet grown and shown the slightest fruit. We should praise Christ for His grace, pray for the newly professed believer, and encourage them to seek genuine discipleship under elders called and equipped by God to lead them.

Brethren, it is well past time that we Christians stop looking for and celebrating “celebrity conversions.” Why is the celebrity Christian always such a celebrated topic for us? Because we desire to find validation of the Christian faith through the conversion of high-profile people. We want somebody important or someone well known for their debauchery to get saved because we can point to their story as being a really big deal. We do not publicly announce the salvation of Jim the accountant down the street, who typically is a nice guy, has a good family and pays his taxes. Nobody knows who Jim is and his story is kind of boring. He is a trophy of God’s grace and all Heaven celebrates his redemption but we do not find it a compelling enough account to blast all over social media.

But, when a singer, actor, politician, or even a vile seductress professes faith, we jump up and down, share the story, and commence debating with one another about the validity of the conversion. It’s the story du jour and we will not stop talking about it for weeks. We put these people in the public eye over and over again. We want them on the news, on podcasts, and live streams because the public viewing of this celebrity Christian just has to be seen by everyone because they are, well, famous.

Change needs to happen. Change must happen. We once again need to care enough about the glorious gospel to praise God’s name when the most “mundane” of conversion occurs. We must stop expecting the celebrity world to get saved so our professed faith can be validated in the eyes of others. Certainly, pray for those in high-profile people to get saved but desire to see them step out of the limelight so that they may come under genuine discipleship and grow in the faith. Because, in the end, salvation is not about the public attention that may come from it. Rather, salvation is about seeing the dead in sins be brought to eternal life in Christ so that we may all worship our Savior for eternity. Leave aside the spotlight for another time. We will see if there is genuine fruit in the person’s life in due course. Give glory to God for His gospel and pray for those who profess faith, that they would come under genuine discipleship and grow, or, if need be, to be exposed as pretenders to the faith.

Make much of the transforming power of the gospel. Make much of Christ. And stop worrying about the celebrity Christian. Leave to God who He will desire to make His mouthpiece. He is far better equipped to make that calling than we ever will be.

(This article was also published at X.com)

Submission and Love – Biblical Marriage Defined

May 17, 2023 / Chris Hohnholz / 0 Comments

Perhaps one of the most hotly debated, and even hated, passages of Scripture is Ephesians 5: 22-33, which reads:

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

In the passage, the apostle Paul is giving instructions regarding marriage to the Ephesian church. Wives are called to submit to the authority of their husbands, while the husbands are given instructions on loving and leading their wives. Paul is quite clear in his writing here, explaining the roles each person has in the marriage. While Scripture is equally clear that no one person, or types of persons, has higher value in the eyes of God, all persons have specific functions they are given within the body of Christ. From positions within the church structure, to the types of gifts each person has, down to the duties of persons within the family unit, all Christians are commanded by God to live and act within the categorical roles He has given us.

To that end, God has given unique instructions to husbands and wives. This biblical structure calls the husband into the position and responsibility of leading the home and the wife supporting and submitting to her husband. This has often been termed as a patriarchal structure, though some have given it the more muted term of “complementarianism.” Men and women, work together in their God-given roles, complementing each other by acting in cooperation instead of at odds with one another.

Yet, this structure is often attacked by those within egalitarian circles. They argue it reduces the wife to the role of a servant while the husband enjoys an unfettered dictatorial role. Furthermore, there are claims that this structure, while clearly defined in Scripture, cannot possibly be biblical because it paves the way for physical and emotional abuse. To that end, it is worth taking time to look at these passages to explain just what Paul is commanding of us and why. We will start by looking at submission.

Submission:

Paul first commands wives to submit to their own husbands. This is a clear command, not a lot there to muddy the waters. The wife has a supportive role in the home. God created her to be the husband’s helper, or “help-meet” (see Gen. 2: 15-25). This is not a position of servanthood or slavery. She is the one uniquely created person made to complete all that the husband is not. She is his lover, comforter, and friend. She is the mother to his children, the fellow parent and authority in the lives of their progeny. She works in partnership with him even if her role and duties differ. She is in every way his equal, yet she submits to his authority because God has ordained this unique role for her.

But, let us understand that Paul does not simply issue the mere command out of his own will. Paul adds an additional thrust to it by adding, “as unto the Lord.” This is what defines the role of the wife and her submission to her husband. It is an act of devotion and obedience to God Himself. Just as she is called to ultimately submit to her Lord and Savior, to seek to obey all that He has commanded and to grow in Christ-likeness in all other areas of her Christian walk, the role of the wife is no different.

In submitting to her husband, a wife gives a willing demonstration of her love and desire to please Christ by doing all that He has called her to do. She entrusts herself completely to the hands of God, knowing that His plans and purposes are perfect in all ways. She loves the Lord more than anything this world has to offer and knows that God’s commands are ultimately for her good and His glory. Submission, therefore, is not about being reduced to a slave (as the world would view it), rather, it is an act of seeking to be conformed to the image of Christ.

Furthermore, Paul explains that the wife is demonstrating something even more beautiful. She is modeling the role of the church to the world at large. The church, the bride of Christ, is called to submit to all our magnificent Bridegroom commands. Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Christ has purchased us and made us His own. He has transformed us and indwelt us with His Holy Spirit. We now seek to live in obedience to all that Christ has commanded us as He is the head of the body, the church.

Likewise, the wife, in her role, submits to her husband in a microcosmic picture of her marriage. She is to portray to the world what the church is supposed to be doing by playing the role of the church while the husband models Christ. When done rightly, the world sees in our marriages Christ’s relationship with His church.

What about the claims of slavery and abuse? Do not women suffer in these roles where patriarchy reigns supreme? Sadly, yes, this does happen. Far too often have sinful men abused the position that God has called them to serve in. No matter how articulately Scripture commands us to obey God, men, and women, all will seek to find ways to thwart God’s will and satisfy their own debased desires. This does not mean the command of God is evil but, rather, evil men seek to contort and malign the Word of God to achieve their own ends.

We dare not reject the clear teachings of Scripture because some have used it to sin. Instead, we proclaim the Word of God more boldly and rebuke those who refuse to rightly obey it. This includes addressing sin through church discipline as outlined in Matthew 18: 15-17. Wives are not merely to endure sinful abuse silently. Such sin should be addressed to and by the church.

Knowing all this, wives are therefore called to obey God’s commands regarding their role in the home. Refusal on the part of a wife to submit to her husband is indicative of a heart that seeks to serve itself over God. It demonstrates an unwillingness to believe that God’s ways are better than our own and says that He cannot be trusted. God’s purposes are perfect, it is we who are imperfect and sinful. Rather than reject His design for marriage, wives ought to celebrate the beautiful role He has given them.

But, we are not done here. Husbands, it is our turn.

Love:

Husbands are called to love their wives. No, we are not talking about the Hallmark movie, endorphin rushing, emotionalism that is so often called love. We are talking about an action. We are talking about doing something to and for the wife that is more than simply feeling emotional affection. What we are talking about is the husband being called to a role wherein he denies himself and sacrificially loves his wife.

And this is not merely being given the ability to make all the decisions for the family. It is not just holding down the job and providing the basic needs for the home. It is far more than that. Paul commands the husband to love, not in the way the world defines love. Instead, he commands the husband to love as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Understand this, Christ’s love for His bride was demonstrated in that He willingly went to the cross to pay the penalty for her sins. He suffered and died for the church so that she might be made pure. Christ’s love is a self-sacrificing love.

While husbands do hold a unique role of authority in marriage, it is not a role defined by tyrannical, dictatorial rule. Instead, it is servant-hearted leadership. In Luke 22: 25-27, Jesus says to his disciples, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.” Jesus taught that biblical authority is not demonstrated in the power to demand of others but in a willingness to be the chief servant.

The husband loves his wife by willingly putting himself aside to lead, guide, comfort, provide for, and serve her. He looks to her own needs first, that he might cherish and nourish her. She is his first and utmost priority over all others. No longer is there any person in his life that can claim dominion over his time and energies, including himself. In his role of authority in the home, the husband takes the ultimate responsibility to teach, build up, and pray for his wife’s spiritual and emotional growth. He sees his position, not as a means to command her to fulfill his every desire, but to serve her in such a way that she flourishes in her role as his wife.

The husband leads not only in word but also in deed. He is the primary example of submitting to God and His Word. He is to be a student of the Scriptures, applying them in his own life and growing in maturity and wisdom. He is the first to admit sin and demonstrate willing repentance. He also listens to his wife because God made her uniquely to be there for him. She is not without knowledge or understanding. He is growing her and making her a fit vessel for His use. As she grows in her role, she is there to help her husband. While he has the responsibility for the home (and all the accountability that comes with it), the husband is not alone.

And, like the wife, the husband’s role is also a picture to the world. He represents the Bridegroom Himself. The one who emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant that He might be humbled and obedient to the point of death (Ephesians 2: 5-11). As the one who is called to love his bride, the husband demonstrates a willing sacrifice of self that he might make much of his wife. He does so that the world might see on display, through his marriage, what Christ did for us. No, being in authority is not a free pass to act as a tyrant king. It is a command to die to yourself so that you might love and serve another.

Finally, a husband who loves biblically does not abuse his wife or his authority. Such a thought ought to be the furthest thing from his mind. One who abuses the bride he has been given has rebelled against God’s authority. He has loved himself more than God and believes the desires of his flesh need to be satisfied above all else. He has willingly corrupted the picture of Christ as the Bridegroom to the world. Such a refusal to honor the biblically defined role of the husband brings with it serious consequences.

A Final Thought:

Before we leave, let there be one final consideration for husbands and wives. We have sought to demonstrate that God’s defining roles in marriage are part of His beautiful plan for our lives. Both husbands and wives are called to serve in their marriage for the betterment of the other. Done so biblically, marriages grow and flourish in God’s hands. Furthermore, they demonstrate to the world the gospel of Christ in action. A people purchased by God through the death of His Son united eternally to their bridegroom who sacrificially loves them.

While men and women may strive to obey God’s commands in their roles, we are all imperfect people. We will fail and we will all sin. Therefore, we must remember that these are not contingent commands from God. We are not permitted to cease fulfilling our biblical obligations when, not if, our spouse fails to uphold the duties to which they have been called. Husbands will rule the home wrongly, or worse, fail to lead at all. Wives will not only fail to submit but may seek to supplant the husband as the authority in the home. In fact, the curse of the fall in Genesis 3: 16-19 guarantees this. These failings are not an escape clause from obeying what Paul wrote to the Ephesians. Rather, we should view the failings of our spouses as a reason to be all the more obedient to God’s commands in our marriages.

Husbands, when confronted with the very real truth that your wife will sin against you, think on the Savior who leads you when you disobey Him. He does not turn from you, He does not cease to lead you, and He does not give up on you. Rather, He comes alongside you, corrects you, rebukes you, and chastises you. He does this in a spirit of love for the express purpose of reconciliation with you. He does not beat down on you, Christ lovingly leads and corrects you. Do so likewise for your wife. Remember that the apostle Peter calls you to live with your wives “in an understanding way” and that you are to honor her “as the weaker vessel” (1 Peter 3:7). Failure to do so will even hinder your very prayers.

Wives, your husbands will be arrogant, will speak harshly, will fail to lead as they should, and will sin against you. Yet, you too serve a Savior who looked down on you at your very worst and said, “She is mine.” He purchased you and made you His own when you had no right to receive anything good from Him. Like you, Jesus is the answer to your husband’s sins. And just as He changed you and brought you to repentance, He can do the same for your husband. It is not by rebelling against God’s role for you that this will be accomplished. Remember the words of apostle Peter to you in 1 Peter 3: 1-2 where he taught you that “they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives.” No, this does not mean you cannot speak to your husband about his sin against you. You are not called to be a silent doormat enduring harsh and vile treatment. But, in your willing submission to your husband (which does not include being led to sin, you are not to submit to that which is sin), you submit wholly to Christ and trust in His plans and purposes.

Brethren, our marriages are a precious gift from the Lord. They are uniquely designed to complement each other and to fulfill our longings for companionship and emotional affection, but, more importantly, they are part of God’s beautiful purposes in this world. We are put in marital roles which are designed to conform us to the image of Christ and which announce the gospel of grace to the entire world. Therefore, let us cherish these unions by loving God first and foremost above all and then doing all that He commands us to do inside our homes, including obeying the roles He has given us.

(This article was also published at X.com)

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